I don’t spend a lot of time posting stuff on this site or on my Facebook site that is solely based on my opinion. Unfortunately the recent decisions made by the DNR has left me frustrated enough to share my thoughts. The norm for me is to find a solution and fix the issue if I don’t like something. (Don’t whine, change it.) The issue typically does not deserve my time if I have no control over the final outcome.

I unfortunately do not have any control of what happens on Mille Lacs, but in this case I can’t help myself from sharing my thoughts. Mille Lacs will not thrive again until people start to face the brutal reality. I don’t for a second pretend to have the knowledge possessed by the DNR or the professionals working to solve the issue. I certainly don’t know or fully understand all the contributing factors that have caused the significant crash in the walleye population. What I do know is that some common sense needs to be brought back into the equation. People need to stop worrying about political correctness, face the brutal reality, and do his/her part to help rebuild one of the best resources in the country.

It starts with getting the nets out of the Lake. Please stop reading this if you think this issue is about race. It isn’t! We could debate all day about politics, beliefs, and opinions related to these rights. I am not interested in a debate, I am interested in common sense. The netting all but destroyed Red Lake, prior to the years and years of interventions to rebuild it. It has nothing to do with who is taking the fish, but more so it has to do with the devastation and lasting impact the netting has on the lake. Past history tells us what will ultimately happen to the system. Common sense tells us that no one should be allowed to take thousands upon thousands of fish out of the system during the spawn.

It does not stop with just removing the nets. We ALL need to do our part. I wholeheartedly support the decision made by the DNR to have a catch and release only season. Enjoy your friends and family, enjoy the resource, enjoy the sport of fishing and stop worrying about keeping the fish. There are 9,999 other lakes in this state in which you can put together a stringer of fish for a fish fry.

Each and every angler must also do his/her part in educating people. We all need to learn proper fishing etiquette to reduce the amount of hooking mortality that goes on. Please take the time to learn how to protect this valuable resource. We all need to be diligent when it comes to properly handling fish, correct hook removal, quick transitions back into the water, and appropriate releases. It is also our responsibility to stay educated as it relates to invasive species. We all need to do our part to minimize the amount in which they are spread.

As much as I agree with catch and release, I could not be more adamantly opposed to the lake being limited to artificial bait. I sincerely believe this decision will do more harm to the local economy than it will good for the lake. The average angler will pass Mille Lacs to go fish on Winnie, LOTW, or Red where they can use the fishing technique of their choice. Common sense again should tell us that the good that could come from this does not out weigh the bad. You will literally see several local businesses close their door as a result of this decision.

The next meeting of the Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee will take place 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Garrison City Hall, 27069 Central St. in Garrison.

DNR Fisheries staff will provide an update on plans for experimentally stocking Mille Lacs with walleye this spring, and Fisheries managers Dale Logsdon and Doug Schultz will present background information and examples of walleye stocking in other Minnesota lakes. Tom Jones, DNR regional fisheries treaty coordinator, will provide a presentation on hooking mortality. Don Pereira, DNR Fisheries chief, will briefly present some preliminary information on potential open water season regulations, which the committee will discuss in more depth at their subsequent meeting.
A second February meeting will take place 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, at Izatys Golf Resort. Fisheries staff will discuss potential open water season regulations on Mille Lacs in more depth and seek committee feedback on the presented options.
Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe these meetings.
The 17-member advisory committee of citizens has been active since October 2015. For more information about the committee and DNR’s management of Mille Lacs Lake, visit the Mille Lacs Lake management page. To sign up to receive these email updates, enter your email in the blue box on the “Newsletter” tab on the page.

I have recently been hearing some very good things about what I consider my adult playground. The bite has been strong on the big pond. A fellow pro-staffer from Tom’s Tackle recently shared he had 3 great trips in a row in which his group caught walleyes of all sizes all day long.

I would also encourage you to check out these reports. We have a long ways to go to a full recovery, but things are going in the right direction!

*Please note: The only way to guarantee your spot in to an event is to sign up with a co (if you are a pro) and a pro (if you are a co) and you both actually fish the event. Starting 2 weeks prior to the event we will not be able to guarantee your entry and will start matching according to you paying for all 3. All other entries will be assigned according to date and time of sign up. The NWT will contact you either by text or email 2 days prior to the event if you did not make it in to the event. Please read the complete 2015 NWT Rules .

Our time in the woods has come and gone for another year. We managed a few bucks, but the hunt was a tough one for us this season.

It is now time to shift gears once again. Ice is right around the corner, so now is the time to be making plans and preparing so that your trips are enjoyable, successful, and memorable.

Do yourself a huge favor and visit Tom’s Tackle – http://tomstackleinc.com/ for all of your ice fishing needs. Make your order now, as hard water will soon be here. Their products are sure to put fish on the ice, and the color selection will not disappoint.

Weekends are booking up fast, so now is also the time to book your ice fishing trip on Lake of the Woods. Wheelers Point Resort is sure to take care of all your needs if you are heading up for a winter trip http://wheelerspoint.com/

They have added a few new fish houses again this year, bringing the total counting sleepers to 50! In an effort to provide more lodging options, they have also purchased Lake Road Lodge & Motel this summer. They have all of your lodging and fishing need covered!

For me it is time for some rest and relaxation with the family over the Holidays! I will also be starting my gear prep for the 2016 open water season! Stay tuned for updates as the season approaches.

Another fishing season has come and gone. The boat is at the shop for winterization and I am starting my off-season prep for some hunting, down time, and work needed for the 2016 season.

My family and friends have started a fun tradition during the fall called the Shrimpy Fall Classic. Each season my dad, one of my best friends, and my brother-in-law found ourselves fishing together in Oct. Like many guys that share a boat, this has evolved into a friendly competition for us. Wade’s son Logan joined the competition this year and being 12 this added a lot of fun and excitement for him. The competition is nothing more than adding total inches for walleyes during our time together. The champion for the trip gets their name placed on a trophy we created, and of course gets bragging rights for the year. Hats off to my brother-in-law Brent, as he is the 2015 Champion of the Shrimpy Fall Classic. He acquired the trophy from the 2014 Champion John Meisch. This type of fun and camaraderie is what fishing and time on the water together is all about.

You will have to excuse the delay on the report, but it has been a busy work week. We made it back last Sunday from a 3 day stint on the Rainy River. Unfortunately we were confined to the river on Thursday and most of Friday, as we were greeted with 20-25 mph wind gusts. Fishing on the river was slow. The bulk of the fish had not made their way into the river while we were up there. Hopefully the colder temps will change that for those of you headed up that way. We did …manage to put fish in the boat during our time on the river, but it was nothing like it can be this time of year.
We marked a pile of fish out in front of the gap in 25 to 30 feet of water, but had a hard time getting them going after the big North winds. However, we found our best bite on Saturday after making the trip to the North. Jigs and frozen shiners did the trick in those same depths on the rocks around knights.
It was not the crazy good fishing that LOTW can offer, but it didn’t stop us from having a great final trip of the year. I got to spend 3 full days on the water with one of my best childhood friends and his boy, my dad, and my brother in law. Wheelers Point resort http://wheelerspoint.com/ offered comfort as we came back to the cabin to relax and share stories each evening. Tom’s Tackle http://www.tomstackleinc.com/ strobe jigs and Tooth Tamer Rods http://www.toothtamerrods.com/ 6 foot and 6’6 put all of our fish in the boat. Good times! The five us had no trouble fishing out of my 2150 Sportfish, https://www.crestliner.com/ which is now winterized and put to bed until the spring. Good luck to those still on the water!

Fall is a magic time of year for any serious walleye angler. As the temperature starts to plummet, there is no question the walleyes strap on the feedbag!

Most folks complain about the summer warmth dissipating, but I live for it. The colder temperatures remind the fish that winter is right around the corner. Their instincts drive them to fatten up. Large schools of walleyes will invade the shallow water, and the rivers that feed the natural lakes we all fish.

I am disappointed to say the least that Mille Lacs is closed. There is nothing like pulling shallow crank baits under the light of the full moon.

As it is, Team Shrimpy will head for what I consider one of the best walleye destinations in the state. http://wheelerspoint.com/ Wheeler Point Resort on the Rainy River. We will get up there in two weeks, and of course a full report will follow.

The best part about this trip is the proximity to the fishing. The long runs that I was taking with my tournament angling are done for the year. Large schools of walleyes will be flooding the Rainy River in hot pursuit of shiners. The other part of this trip that is refreshing is the lack of gear I need to haul. The river will not disappoint, so long as you have your anchor, jigs, and jigging sticks.

Things from this point forward will get better and better. There is no question that October is the magic month that offers you a chance to catch some true giants.